Concrete structures are an integral component of many types of buildings. In some examples, the building foundation includes concrete walls. In some examples, the walls of the building itself are constructed from formed concrete. Many of these structures are formed and poured on the construction site using a variety of forming systems.
In some examples, a system of insulating concrete forms (ICF) is utilized to define the shape of a concrete wall, acting both as a system of formwork for the poured concrete and providing rigid thermal insulation layers that stay in place as a permanent interior and exterior substrate for walls, floors, and roofs. Typically, the forms are interlocking modular units that stacked on-site and filled with concrete. The ICF units lock together using integrally formed interlocking structures, reinforcement hardware, or a combination thereof.
ICF formwork has become commonplace in both commercial and residential construction in response to more energy efficiency mandates and rising labor costs. However, widespread adoption of ICF formwork has been limited by the fragility of the forms themselves. The foam based construction of the ICF modules leaves them vulnerable to job site abuse that may render them unusable, or worse yet, compromise the integrity of a concrete pour.
Existing ICF modules suffer from a lack of structural reliability until concrete cure. Special handling practices should be followed to ensure that the ICF modules retain their integrity from the time they are manufactured until their function as formwork for poured concrete is completed. This increases costs and adds project risk. Thus, improved ICF modules and methods of manufacture are desired.